Jnanpith award winner U R Ananthamurthy passes away

He was hospitalised today for infection and fever at a Bangalore hospital.

Ailing Jnanpith awardee and renowned Kannada writer U R Anantha Murthy, 82, who was in a critical condition since Thursday night following kidney failure died here at a private hospital at around 6 pm on Friday.

“The literary great is no more in our midst. At around 6 pm he suffered a cardiac arrest. Our best efforts to resuscitate him were not successful. He was suffering from a kidney ailment for several years. Last night he suffered kidney failure. He was on a ventilator. Unfortunately he did not respond to treatment. The decision on the final rites will be decided by his family,” Medical Director and Chairman of the Manipal Hospital H Sudarshan Ballal said on Friday evening.

Inspite of his kidney ailment, Murthy was very active both physically and mentally including extensive travelling and took up lot of assignments but in the last 10 to 15 days his condition worsened “to some extent”, Ballal said.

The outspoken U R Anantha Murthy who was an ardent supporter of the Siddaramaiah government in Karnataka is expected to receive a funeral with state honours. He was hospitalized 10 days ago and had until then been living a very active life.